Senators able to lean on Tim Stutzle in Tkachuk’s absence

OTTAWA — Tim Stutzle has been the Robin to Brady Tkachuk’s Batman, but even without Tkachuk, Stutzle has shown he is every bit a force of nature.

“He’s nasty,” said teammate Drake Batherson about Stutzle — meaning it in a good way, of course.

Stutzle’s talent has never been questioned. He’s a dynamic, silky skater with unbelievable hands and a bit of an edge. But, at times, Stutzle’s play has felt like empty calories — lots of beautiful plays but lacking the production to match the finesse. The question became, Would Stutzle’s play wane or elevate without Tkachuk?

We appear to have the answer: Stutzle has 13 points in 10 games without Tkachuk while riding a five-game point streak.

The German’s goal against Montreal epitomized his toughness infused with skill.

Sometimes, young uber-tal